Hinged box



Jan. 10, 1961 J. o. BURMAN, JR 2,967,638

HINGED BOX Filed April 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n u s r n i n fIIIIIIIAML\\\\\\\\\\\\ In van 07;

United States Patent O HINGED BOX Joseph Burman, Jr., Attleboro, Mass.,assignor to Progressive Machinery Corp., Attleboro, Mass., a corporationof Massachusetts Filed Apr. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 730,485

7 Claims. (Cl. 220-35) This invention relates to boxes having hingedlids which are spring biased to fly open when a catch is released.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofa box having a hinged lid with spring means for automatically openingthe lid when a catch or detent is released; the provision of a box ofthe above type in which the spring, catch and detent are of one-piececonstruction; the provision of a box of the general class in which therelease mechanism is an integral part of the box construction itself;the provision of a box of the last named class which may be completelycovered with an ornamental covering material, thus covering the releasemechanism but still leaving the latter actuable from the exterior of thebox; and the provision of boxes of the above types which are simple andeconomic to make because of utilization of only a few parts, and whichare long-lasting. Other objects and advantages will be in part obvious,and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts, whichwill be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and thescope of the application of which will be indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which two of se'veral possibleembodiments of the invention are illustrated:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a box of this invention, the box being shownopen;

Fig. 2 is a sectional end view of the Fig. lbox, taken in the directionof sight lines 2-2 on Fig. 1, with the closed position being indicatedby dotted lines;

. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a spring element of this invention;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of a portion of the Fig. 1 -box showing thelatch mechanism in engaged position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the latch in opened ordisengaged position;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of a portion of one of the box sections of theFig. 1 embodiment showing certain constructional details;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the box sections ascovered with decorative material; and

Fig. 8` is a sectional view of a portion of another embodiment of theinvention, similar to Fig. 4 but showing a different construction as tocertain details.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

2,967,638 Patented Jan. 10, 1961 rice Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2there are shown a plan and end view of a box of this invention,comprising the two opposed box sections 2 and 4, each box section havingthe bottoms 6 and 8, and the upstanding Walls 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18, 20,22, and 24, respectively. The opposed box sections are hinged to eachother by hinge 26 along one edge of a wall of each in conventionalmanner, the hinged walls in this instance being walls 16 and 24. In Fig.1, the box is shown in open position7 and in Fig. 2 the dotted linesshow the box in closed position.

Referring now to Fig. 3 there is shown a spring member 2-8 which ismounted Within the box and serves to bias the box sections toward theopen position of Fig. 1. Spring 26 is an elongated one-piece strip ofliat spring metal and having approximately at its center the loop 30.The purpose of loop 36 is to provide clearance for the spring around thehinge 26 when the box sections are spread apart by the spring, as shownin Fig. 2. The end portions 32 and 34 of the spring are bent at asubstantial angle to the body of the spring to form an integral latchmechanism which will now be described.

End portion 32 is bent at approximately right angles to the body of thespring, and is further bent at its extremity to provide the hook 36. Theangle at which end portion 32 is bent is not critical and can varyseveral degrees from the aforesaid right angle. The angle will bedetermined by the configuration and angle of the walls of the boxsections, and by the iit or engagement of the latch and detenttogetherwhen the box sectionsare closed one on the other.

The other end portion 34 is similarly bent and in the same direction asend portion 32, and is further bent or folded on itself at its extremityto form the detent or shoulder 38.

Spring 28 is mounted in the box sections 2 and 4 asv shown in Figs. land 2, and is held therein preferably by the bent-over tabs 40 which maybe struck up from the material comprising the bottoms of the boxsections. As formed and mounted, it will be observed that in thisembodiment, the spring body is given a slight curvature (as shown bynumeral 42) to raise the corner 44 of the spring above the level of thebox section level, and bring said corner in proximity to the side-wall12.

A slit or slot 46 is provided in bottom 6 extending along the edge ofthe bottom where it joins wall 12. By this means, a portion 48 of wall12 is freed along its bottom edge, thus rendering said portion free tobe exed inwardly by force applied externally. The aforesaid corner 44rests against the inside surface of portion 48. (It will be noted, ofcourse7 that the slit 46 may be placed entirely in the side-wall 12, orpartially in the side-Wall and partially in the bottom, and still bewithin the scope of this invention.)

Referring now to Figs. 4, 5, and 6, there are shown views illustrating(slightly enlarged for clarity) the operation of the latch and releasemechanism. In Fig. 4, the box sections 6 and 8 are shown closed. In thisposition the spring halves have been forcible folded to- Ward eachother, the bending taking place primarily at the center portion of thespring Where loop 30.is sitruated, and against the normal tendency ofthe spring to remain in its unstressed shape shown in Fig. 3. In thisclosed (Fig.4) position, hook'36 engages detentv or shoulder 38, andlocks the ends of the spring together, thus holding the box sectionsclosed.

In Fig. 5, force has been applied to the freed portion 48 of wall 12,moving it inwardly. In so moving inwardly, the portion 48 engages thecorner 44 of spring 28 and moves the end portion 34 inwardly, thusfreeing the hook 36 from the detent 38. With these parts thus unlatchedor disengaged, the spring 2S will bias or move the box sections to theFigs. l and 2 position.

It will be noted that the inward motion of end portion 34 is thecombined result of a slight further bending of the spring body at 42,and a slight sliding motion of the spring body itself backward along thebottom 6.

Illustrated in Fig. 7 is one of the advantages of this invention. Inmany boxes, particularly those in which jewelry is sold, it is thepractice to cover the box with an ornamental covering, such as a fabric,or leather. In such cases, it is often desired that no metal parts showoutside the box, and desideratum therefore precludes the use of metalpush-buttons or catches. Also, it is often desired that the box have asmooth exterior', which desired feature similarly precludes externallyprotubing buttons or catches. As shown in Fig. 7, an ornamental covering50 may be glued or otherwise fastened to the box exterior, completelycovering all portions of the box. This covering can extend, if desiredand as shown, over the walls of the box sections and down into theinterior. Such a covering does not interfere with the movability offreed portion 48 and the movement of the end portion 34 of the spring28. Thus, to all appearances, the box of the present invention, thuscovered, shows no external evidence of a latch mechanism or a releasemechanism therefore.

There is shown in Fig. 8 a second embodiment of the invention whichdiffers from the Figs. 1-6 embodiment in the construction of an endportion of the spring member. In this embodiment, the box sections 52and 54 are provided exactly as before, with the same upstanding walls. Aslot 56 is provided, just as before, to provide a freed portion 58 of awall. The spring 60 is the same as described above, and has the bent endportions 62 and 64, the one providing the hook 66 and the other thedetent or shoulder 68.

However, in this embodiment, end portion 64 is provided with a U-shaped(or equivalent) outward bend 70 as shown. This bend 70 faces in the samedirection as detent 68 and engages the inside surface of freed portion58. Therefore, when portion 58 is moved inwardly, it pushes on bend 70thus bending the end portion 64 inwardly to free the latching mechanism.

This embodiment may also be covered with an ornamental covering, just asin the case of the Figs. 1-7 embodiment, with the same desirableexternal appearance.

It is to be noted that in the several views, the end portion that isshown as being moved to free the latch is the one having at itsextremity the detent or shoulder. It is within the skill of a mechanic,obviously, to reverse the parts so that it is the hooked end portionthat is so moved. Also, the detent or shoulder 3S is illustrated asbeing a folded back portion. Quite obviously, a hook similar to hook 36could be formed which would work in the same way. The foldedconstruction is preferred because it provides a rounded top past whichthe hook 36 can slide easily just prior to latching.

It is to be especially noted that in the constructions presented herein,the spring and latch mechanism. are integral (that is, one-piece) inconstruction, thus leading to economy of manufacture. The releasemechanism (the freed portion of the box section wall) is integral withthe wall, a feature again leading to economy of manufacture.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

l. A box comprising opposed box sections hinged to each other along oneedge of each to open and close, spring means lying within said box andattached to said sections to bias said sections apart, said spring meanslying along the bottoms of said sections and incorporating as anintegral part thereof and at each end thereof latch means for holdingsaid sections closed, and release means formed as an integral part of awall of one of said box sections opposite a hinged wall for disengagingsaid latch means.

2. The box of claim 1 in which said spring means and latch comprise anelongated strip of at spring metal having end portions thereof bent at asubstantial angle to the plans of the adjoining portions of the spring,each of said end portions being bent at its outermost extremity to forma hook on one end portion and a detent or shoulder on the other portion,said spring having a length thereof fastened to one box section and theremaining length portion thereof fastened to the other box portion; saidend portions lying adjacent walls of said box sections opposite thehinged edges, said length portions of the spring being bent toward eachother when said box sections are in closed position, and said hookengaging said detent.

3. The box of claim l in which said spring means and latch comprise anelongated strip of at spring metal having bent end portions thereofadapted to meet each other when said box sections are closed, one ofsaid bent end portions having a hook at its extremity and the other ofsaid bent end portions having a detent or shoulder at its extremity,said hook catching on said shoulder when said box sections are closed,and in which said release means comprises a llexible portion of a wallof oneof said box portions opposite the hinged edge, said exible portionbeing. adapted to be bent inwardly against itsown bias by manually`applied force to press` against one of said bent end portions and tobend the latter inwardly to disengage said hook and detent.

4. The box of claim 1 in which said release means comprises a exibleportion of a wall of one of said boxportions opposite the hinged edge,said flexible portion being attachedV to the rest of the wall integrallyat its ends,.but being. free of the box section along its sides.

5. A box comprising opposed box sections each of which comprises abottom and aplurality of walls up-` standing from said bottom, said boxsections being hinged together along oneedge of' a wall of each to openand close elongated two-legged spring means extending around theinterior of said box sections to bias said sections apart, the legs ofsaidlspring means lying against and being attached to the box bottomsand incorporating at theirfree. ends as integral parts thereof a latchand detent for holding said box sections closed, and one of said bottomsbeing provided with slit extending along the length ofthe wall for aportion of the length thereof adjacent the corner formed between thatwall and the bottom of the 4box section, thereby to free a pot'- tionofsaid wall for bending inwardly, the freed portionbeng adapted Vto bepushed inwardly to disengage said latch and detent.

6. The box of claim-.5 in which said latch and detent comprise,respectively, end portions of the legs ofsaid spring member which arebent at approximately right angles to said member on` the same sidethereof, one of said end portions being further bent at its extremity toform a hook, and the other of said end portions being folded'at'itsextremity to form a detent or shoulder, said hook and detent engagingeach other when said box sections areclosed, and oneof said bentportions lying' adjacent'that portion of said wall that has'been freed,thereby vto be pushed inwardly to disengage said`- hook and detent whensaid portion of the wall is pushed inwardly.

7. The box of claim 5 in which said latch and detent comprise,respectively, end portions of the legs of the plane of the end portion,said U-shaped loop being positioned adjacent that portion of said wallthat has been freed, thereby to be engaged and pushed inwardly todisengage said hook and `detent when said portion of said spring memberwhich are bent at approximately 5 the wall is pushed inwardly.

right angles to said member on the same side thereof, one of said endportions being further bent at its extremity to form a hook, and theother of said end portions being folded `at its extremity to form adetent or shoulder, said detent and hook being engaged when said box isvclosed, and one of said end portions being provided with an off-setU-shaped loop extending beyond References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS

